Calathea lancifolia, or the rattlesnake plant, is native to Brazil. It’s a popular household indoor plant that adds beauty to any room. Although it rarely blooms when planted indoors, it’s still grown as an ornamental plant for its impressive leaves that close at night.
In this article, we’ll explain how to propagate Calathea lancifolia from divisions and seed, as these are the most successful ways to grow and multiply this beautiful plant. We’ll also discuss the necessary conditions to guarantee a healthy growth. So, let’s dive in.
How Do I Propagate Calathea Lancifolia?
The Calathea lancifolia is a true eye-catcher wherever you choose to grow it with its outstanding pattern on the variegated leaves. It also purifies the air and has a moderate growth rate as long as you maintain its desirable growing conditions, sometimes reaching a height of 20 inches.
Many people decide to divide the rattlesnake plant as soon as they get it, creating small pots to decorate nightstands and coffee tables. Others choose to propagate this plant whenever it gets too big for the pot it came in. In this case, moving the plant to a bigger pot and growing multiple plants from the mother one is recommended to keep it in good shape.
However, it’s worth mentioning that the Calathea lancifolia isn’t a typically beginner-friendly plant because it has very specific growing requirements. Yet, if you manage to maintain these conditions, you’ll be able to successfully divide and grow this plant, adding a tropical touch to your space.
What Are the Different Ways to Propagate Calathea Lancifolia?
You can easily propagate the rattlesnake plant by division or grow it from seed. Propagating this plant in water isn’t recommended because it’s a clumping plant, but it can work out as long as you pay extra attention to the water.
Propagating your Calathea lancifolia from cuttings isn’t possible, unlike most plants. This clumping plant has no stems, so it won’t grow a new root system from the leaf clusters.
When Should You Propagate Calathea Lancifolia?
You can easily divide your Calathea lancifolia any time of the year, but it’s best to propagate the plant during spring. Since this is the growing season, your rattlesnake plant has the highest chance of survival if you divide it during this period.
It’s recommended to propagate your plant if you feel that it’s becoming too big for its current pot, as it can become root bound, and this will stunt its growth. If your plant has also been subject to root rot, you might want to examine the root ball and remove any infected roots before moving it into a new pot. You can repot the plant once every two years to keep it healthy.
How Do I Propagate Calathea Lancifolia from Root?
This is the most successful way to divide and grow the rattlesnake plant. Propagating the plant from root clusters means you can keep the mother plant in good shape and boost its growth before it becomes root bound.
You can easily propagate this plant by division as long as you have an established root ball. Here are the proper steps to follow.
- Handle the root ball with care, as the Calathea lancifolia has fragile roots.
- Water the plant a day before you plan to propagate it to reduce transplant shock, which might stunt its growth.
- Choose a big pot to accommodate the new root ball, as this will keep the plant healthy. Make sure that there are enough draining holes to prevent root rot.
- Fill about one-third of the pot with potting soil and some perlite to improve drainage.
- Remove the plant from its original pot by placing it on its side.
- Use a fine bristle brush to brush away the soil from the roots and separate them gently with your fingers.
- Cut any damaged roots with sterile pruning shears.
- Cut the root ball into different sections, as each one of them will grow into a separate plant.
- Place the divided root balls into new containers and refill them with some of the old soil to reduce the transplant shock.
- Water the new plant until the water drains through the holes, and keep the soil moist.
- Cover the pot with a plastic bag to create a greenhouse effect, as this plant thrives in humid conditions.
How Do I Propagate Calathea Lancifolia From Seed?
Propagating Calathea lancifolia from seed is a complicated process, and it’s definitely not suitable for a beginner gardener. As a matter of fact, even the most seasoned gardeners are likely to fail while growing the rattlesnake plant from seed, as this plant is very specific about its needs. It also takes a long time to get established and grow.
Yet, if you want to grow your Calathea lancifolia from seed, you need to follow these steps.
- Make sure that you get disease and pest-free seed from a trusted supplier.
- Since this plant is grown indoors, you can grow it at any time of the year. Yet, we recommend that you grow your rattlesnake plant in spring or fall.
- Use a special seed-starting soil mix or a mixture made of equal amounts of peat and coarse sand.
- Make sure that the soil is moist before planting the seed, and then insert them up to a depth of half an inch.
- Cover the pot with plastic or use a germination tent to increase the humidity levels, as this will help the seedlings grow.
- Place the pot on a heating mat to imitate the natural habitat of the rattlesnake plant.
- Place your pot in a spot where it has access to bright indirect sunlight.
- Keep the soil moist at all times to protect the seedlings from drying out.
- Once the seedlings have reached a height of 1.5 inches, you can transfer them into new pots.
How Do I Propagate Calathea Lancifolia From Water?
Despite not being the most recommended method, propagating your rattlesnake plant in water is possible. After removing a few leaf clusters from the mother plant, you’ll notice that they already have an established root system. This means that you can directly place the cluster in the soil to grow your new rattlesnake plant.
However, some people choose to grow the Calathea lancifolia in water to be kept in a vase. The plant won’t grow much, but it will stay alive as long as you change the water weekly and add a special fertilizer once a month to keep it in good shape.
FAQs
- Can I Grow Calathea Lancifolia From Cuttings?
No, you can’t grow this plant from cuttings or leaves because it has no stems. The leaves don’t have the cells that are able to grow a new root system.
- Why Does My Calathea Lancifolia Look Limp After Propagation?
This plant has a delicate root system that takes time to recover. After following all the right steps, you need to keep the soil moist and place the plant in a spot where it has access to indirect sunlight to help the new root system get established. Using plastic wrap to create a greenhouse effect will also help.
Wrap Up
The Calathea lancifolia or rattlesnake plant isn’t a beginner-friendly one, but still a great addition to your household if you want to grow an eye-catching air-purifying plant. You can propagate your rattlesnake plant if you’re worried that it’s becoming too large for its current pot. Propagating can also help save your plant if some parts of the root system have been infected with root rot.
It’s recommended to propagate this plant in spring, and you won’t be able to propagate it from cuttings. Dividing the root system is the way to go because growing it from seed is challenging.